Paper containers



July 10, 1956 E. B. KoDAr PAPER CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 8, 1952 INVENTOR [/'Uwfodai www.

United States Patent O 2,754,045 PAPER CONTAINERS- Ervin B. Kodat, Chicago, Ill., assignor to United Wallpaper, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation Vof 'Delaware Application February, 1952, SerialNo. 270,603

4 Claims. (Cl. 229-7) This invention relates to paper cartons and the like for distributing vand dispensingliquid, of whichmilk is an example.

It is related to the inventions disclosed in two applications of Le Roy Staunton, SerialNo. 270,575 `and No. 270,576, tiled of even date herewith, which disclose improvements in comer pouring cartons having openings v in the side wall or Walls thereof'which cooperatewith sealing elements associated with 'the` top of the carton,

initially to seal, and to reclose the same after opening.v

In the accompanying drawings- Figure l is an isometric view of a carton embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged Afragmentary view of the carton seal shown in Figure 1, with parts broken away;

Figure 3 is a sectional viewl taken along line 3 3 of lFigure 2;

Figure 4 is a modification of the invention shown in 'Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional View along line 5-5 of Figure 4; and

Figures 6 and 7 are fragmentary sectional views corresponding to Figures 3 and 5, which show the application of heated sealing dies to the several carton parts during a typical assembly operation of a carton made in accordance with the present invention.

In the present instance a quadrilateral carton body is folded into a tapered form, having side walls 10, to which a bottom 12 is attached, preferably by .well-known heat sealing methods. The side walls adjacent the top edges of the carton are perforated intermittently through the wall thickness of the stock from which the carton is made to form a frangible perforation line 14 parallel to the upper edges of the side walls and separated there from by a portion 16 of the side walls, which lies over the frangible perforations 14.

A non-toxic pressure sensitive ace-tate adhesive tape 18 is disposed to cover .the frangible perforations 14, the tape itself being perforated along a line 21 slightly above the frangible perforations 14 in the carton walls.

A top member 20 having upstanding side tlanges 22, for disposition internally of the carton walls, and downwardly depending tlanges 24, for disposition externally of .the carton walls, is provided to overlie the upper edges of said walls in such a way that the plane of the web of `the top 20 lies `below the frangible pouring perforations 14 by a margin of offset, as indicated at 26. The bottom edges of the outer flange 2'4 of the top member terminate proximate .to the web of the top 20 all the way around the carton, except at that portion immediately surrounding the pouring perforations 14. As distinguished from .the copending application mentioned above, the outer flange 2'4 is terminated slightly above the frangible perforations 14 in the carton side walls and above, or even with, the perforations 21 in the acetate tape, in the zone of the pouring perforations 14. The acetate tape adheres to the carton walls completely to overlie the frangi'ble perforations `14 in surrounding .Ielat-ion within -this :cut-awayzone ofthe top ,llang/e.

A pull-tabfZS is provided` as an extension of, that portion of the acetate tape which is subtended between .the perforations 21 thereinand its bottom edge. ."Ilhe tape is of sufficient depth to extend underneath .the V`lange 24- of the carton top and the latter is completely ,sealed to the upper edges 16 ofthe carton by an adhesive 30 whichills the space internally and externally ofthe side wallslwithin the contines of the flanges 22 and 24.

The carton top .is sealed to the'` top edges of its body by heat sealing dies., .which are.schematicallyrepresented in Figures 6 and 7 now tojbe discussed. As seen in y.these tigures,.a central mandrel die 3 2Uacts as an 'anvil to ,supportv the upstanding top edges of the cartonwalls 1'0;as enclosed within the inverted U-,shaped flanges 24 ofthe top member 20, against which external movable .die clements 34 are adapted simultaneously .to ,close aroundthe four sides `of the carton as indicatedby the arrow., Y It will be understood that the contiguous faces ofthe carton top and side walls will have thermoplastic resin already coated ythereon when subjected to `-the action of vthe dies. The dies 'being heated apply ,a sut'cient amount of heat and pressure to the plies ofmaterial between `the outer movable dies 34 and the .central anvil die 32 nto cause the parts to become joined, together, `exceptat 'those areas where the anfges`24 havebeen cutaway, as at 36 in Figure 7, to provide clearance Afor the pouring perforations 14. At this poin't sealing action is intermitted below the plane of the lower edge ofthe shortened flange 24, as is indicated by dotted line 38 in Figure 7, lso that no sealing either within or without the side walls 'of the carton occurs below this line. This is due to absence of pressure occasioned by the space 36, so that heat seal-ing does not occur between these parts. A seal is elected, however, between all parts above the line 38, 'which in turn lie substantially above the pouring perforations 14, and to this extent ythe flanges of the top member are sealed completely around the -top edges of the carton walls 10.

The opening of the carton is accomplished by tearing the acetate tape 18 from the carton by pulling the tab 23 so as to tear the tape along the perforations 21, leaving the region of the wall perforations 14 exposed. The corner of the carton top is then lifted with sulcient force to break the frangible perforations 14 and establish a corner pouring opening therein.

If it is desired to reseal the carton, it is only necessary to force the corner of the top into closed position so as |to bring the upper portion of the wall 16 into regis-tration with the main wall section 10 and to cause the web of the top 20 to re-enter the carton to a depth corresponding to the offset 26 shown in Figure 3, which fits lsnugly therein and seals the 4same just as a cork plugs ya bottle.

The modifications of Figures 4 and 5 are substantially the same as the foregoing except that a ribbon 30 of cellophane, or other suitable non-adhesive material, is disposed between the aceta-te tape 1S and the side walls of the carton in proximity to the perforations 14. To open the carton the ribbon 30 is pulled to tear the tape into two parts, thereby to expose the perforated area of the carton walls to permit the latter to be ruptured in the establishment of the pouring opening.

The top of the carton may be scored in the manner sho'wn in the copending application of Le Roy Staunton filed of even date herewith, Serial No. 270,575, which is one of the two applications referred to above, to facilitate the hinging action of the carton top at the corner pursuant to the opening of the carton.

l claim:

l. A liquid dispensing carton comprising, in combination, a quadrilateral tubular body having top and bottom closures permanently sealed thereto, said top closure having downwardly depending lflanges outside of said tubular body, the bottom edges of said anges overlapping 'the top edges of said tubular body by a substantial margin, a pouring perforation extending parallel to the top edge 0f said tubular body within said margin and having a 'frangible sealing tape covering the same, said top closure being sealed to said carton completely around said carton throughout said margin except at the area covered by said tape, said ta-pe being partly covered by said closure and partly extending below the same, and means for causing said tape to tear adjacent the bottom edge of said flanges of said top closure at the lower extremity of said margin.

2. The invention of claim 1 in which the last named means comprises perforations in said tape extending along aline corresponding to said bottom edge of said anges of the top closure, at least one extremity of said tape between said perforations and its own bottom edge terminating in a pull-tab that is made so as not to adhere to .the walls of said carton.

3. The invention of claim 1 in which said means comprises a tearing ribbon positioned beneath said tape and projecting beyond the ends thereof for tearing said tape in two.

4. A liquid dispensing carton, a quadrilateral tubular body 'having top and `bottom closures sealed thereto, said top closure comprising downwardly depending flanges within and without said tubular body, with bottom edges outside of said tubular body and a web between said flanges, said anges overlapping the top edges of said tubular body by a substantial margin, said bottom edges being cut-away at an area adjacent a corner of the carton References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,262,992 Stephano Apr. 16,1918 1,719,923 Cochran July 9, 1929 1,967,930 Fox July 24, 1934 1,987,545 Alexander I an. 8, 1935 2,110,612 Skinner et al Mar. 8, 1938 2,152,400 Da Rold Mar. 28, 1939 2,217,619 Gazette Oct. 8, 19,40 2,226,049 Carley Dec. 24, 1940 2,302,083 Wilcox Nov. 17, 1942 2,373,092 Avery Apr. l0, 1945 2,470,984 Horning et al May 24, 1949 2,471,017 Wilcox May 24, 1949 2,507,659 Zalkind May 16, 1950 2,568,458 Nichols Sept. 18,1951 2,622,053) Clowe et al Dec. 16, 1952 2,658,663 Reese Nov. 10,1953 

